https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 03 Jul 2026 19:10:40 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/public-bathrooms-and-potty-training#post-2285197 Mon, 07 Sep 2015 20:43:24 +0000 regberadaisy 2285197@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I usually just hold her and hover over the seat. I'm not lugging a potty seat around with me every time we leave the house! If the toilet is really gross then I wipe it down with wipes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/public-bathrooms-and-potty-training#post-2285180 Mon, 07 Sep 2015 20:14:29 +0000 rachiecakes 2285180@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We didn't follow the books either but I read notes from my friends son's daycare and one of the things they had on there was "don't ask if child wants to go potty, tell them it's potty time and make it routine" that really stuck with me. When we wake up, potty time, after meals, before going out, when we get home, before an activity, before bed - all potty time, even if he doesn't have to or doesn't go. I should knock on something but we've never had an accident. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/public-bathrooms-and-potty-training#post-2285175 Mon, 07 Sep 2015 20:06:57 +0000 oliviaoblivia 2285175@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD was surprisingly nonplussed by public bathrooms, even early on in potty training. If I didn't make a big deal about going in public neither did she. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/public-bathrooms-and-potty-training#post-2285171 Mon, 07 Sep 2015 20:01:23 +0000 Applesandbananas 2285171@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JennyD: it seems like my LO can go 1.5 hours so maybe I just need to time things in the early days until he's more reliably trained. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/public-bathrooms-and-potty-training#post-2285076 Mon, 07 Sep 2015 18:19:58 +0000 JennyD 2285076@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You know.... I tried to force the public potty issue. It made things worse. My girl can hold it for EVER. so typically when we're out, I don't even bother asking her. We had a couple gross accidents early on, but not in several months. We live in a suburb of a big city, and we spend a lot of time in the car going back and forth, and it hasn't been a big problem. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/public-bathrooms-and-potty-training#post-2284721 Mon, 07 Sep 2015 01:54:58 +0000 lamariniere 2284721@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never took a potty ring or any sort of apparatus with us (we have no car, I'm not sticking something like that in my stroller basket or walking around with one). In the early days, I had disinfectant wipes on me for public toilets, so I could at least wipe it off before DS sat on it. One of the major problems for us with public toilets wasn't really the process of going, but it was the fact that they are so loud (the flush, the hand dryers, the echos), and my son is easily frightened by loud noises, so that kind of made it traumatic for him early on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/public-bathrooms-and-potty-training#post-2284714 Sun, 06 Sep 2015 23:30:28 +0000 Mrs.ThinMint 2284714@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't potty trained yet, but if it makes you feel any better, I've heard that most public restrooms are sursigingly cleaner than the bathroom at your house because they are cleaned once if not multiple times a day. (When you are at nice, clean places of course like Target.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/public-bathrooms-and-potty-training#post-2284706 Sun, 06 Sep 2015 23:02:00 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2284706@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't follow a "method," I just kind of did what worked for my kid, so I don't know that this fits in with your method but what we did/do was/is:<br /> -she has to sit on the potty before going out (which is on the Daniel Tiger potty episode, if your lo will watch it)<br /> -I just help hold her up, no big deal. Kids bathrooms/family bathrooms if available<br /> -We used pull ups, which a lot of people say not to do but it worked for us, until she really was used to potty training and not too scared of the public bathrooms (which may not even be a thing for your lo)..it was really only a week or two.<br /> -I carry wet ones and sometimes even clorox wipes to go, and we wash well with soap and water. I have her wash/lather then I lift her up and have her rinse, so she's not touching the whole counter.</p> <p>I've had to get over a lot of my germophobe ways, figuring that everyone goes through this and lives, and I can't imagine it's much better when they go to preschool.. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/public-bathrooms-and-potty-training#post-2284683 Sun, 06 Sep 2015 21:15:02 +0000 Applesandbananas 2284683@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@matador84: @Mrs. Lion: I'll try this next time we're out! I'm thinking a short Target trip tomorrow, just for potty practice! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/public-bathrooms-and-potty-training#post-2284677 Sun, 06 Sep 2015 21:12:25 +0000 matador84 2284677@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I totally agree with PP. for my ds i do the backwards thing OR the stand on the potty. ugh, public bathrooms are so gross even if they seem clean, we just bring tons of wipes and wash down/wash hands really well afterwards! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/public-bathrooms-and-potty-training#post-2284669 Sun, 06 Sep 2015 20:53:54 +0000 Mrs. Lion 2284669@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Applesandbananas: We don't ever use an insert (lo refuses when I have tried) so no suggestions about that. He's a pretty little guy though and doesn't seem to need it when he sits that way. As for the touching everything...I try to keep him from touching anything, but he likes to flush and ends up touching the seat. I just wash his hands really really well afterwards and hope for the best. The chances of him getting sick from touching something in the bathroom 30 seconds before he scrubs his hands are pretty slim I think, so I am trying not to panic haha :) At least, that's what I am telling myself... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/public-bathrooms-and-potty-training#post-2284665 Sun, 06 Sep 2015 20:50:51 +0000 Applesandbananas 2284665@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lion: that's an interesting trick! Do you skip the insert if they sit backwards? One of the other issues we had was that he wanted to touch everything, I feel like that might be exacerbated if he sits backwards :-/ any luck with getting LO not to touch everything?? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/public-bathrooms-and-potty-training#post-2284656 Sun, 06 Sep 2015 20:41:42 +0000 Mrs. Lion 2284656@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A friend taught me the trick of putting them on the potty backwards, facing the wall. They can balance easier and don't fall in. Then you can just put a hand on their back to help them balance. They have to take their pants all the way off, so kind of icky, but it works. I try to stick to going to places that are fairly clean and try not to worry about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/public-bathrooms-and-potty-training#post-2284654 Sun, 06 Sep 2015 20:40:20 +0000 MrsF 2284654@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When my daughter was newly training I took her to the public bathrooms whenever we were out just so that she could practice sitting, etc. (She is very small and cautious and we never used an insert when out and about. I just sort of hold on to her waist if she feels nervous). Eventually she actually peed on a public toilet and of course major excitement and treats. She's done really well since then.</p> <p>Just keep "practicing" so he gets the hang of the loud noises and big toilets - he'll get it!</p> <p>Then you'll be on to the next phase - "I need to check out every bathroom, everywhere we go :silly: " </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/public-bathrooms-and-potty-training#post-2284652 Sun, 06 Sep 2015 20:34:37 +0000 Applesandbananas 2284652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just wrapped up day 3 of potty training with our 2.5 year old. We are following the Oh Crap! Potty Training book and are technically in block 3, going places, commando!</p> <p>I took LO to the zoo today and even though I thought he'd had a good pee before leaving the house, he peed on the way to the zoo (it's about 15 min from home). We stayed for an hour and tried to use two different restrooms, with the toilet ring insert. No dice. </p> <p>Any helpful advice on public restrooms? We go out ALOT and I don't want public restrooms to hinder us, but the two experiences today were pretty awful. </p>